Star Wars: The Exodus

I have just concluded my report to the Grey Lords about our discovery. I still almost don’t believe it myself – I find myself in a place that I didn’t really believe existed before. Now the reality stares me … literally … in the face. I am stationed aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer that clearly once was the vessel of Lord Vader. I rather thought Vader was a myth until I reached down into a life support … well egg for lack of a better term … and pulled out what seems to be an older model of Lord Vader’s distinctive helmet. The echos of the force reverberated strong in his quarters.

As for me, I again have a master who will continue my training in the ways of the Force. Grey Lord Ful Kosh has accepted me as her apprentice. I have no illusions about the pain I will endure under her teaching. I will accept it and suffer through it. At the other end of the pain will possibly be the power I seek to affect my own destiny. Time will tell.

On a personal note, my sense of irony cannot help but observe that she who’s primary color is black – clothing, hair, markings – has chosen a male apprentice who cannot help but be white. Is it some cosmic dichotomy or the Force seeking balance? Perhaps I put too much thought into things.

1/6/2011

Originally in separate groups, this session brings the PCs together. The heroes are informed of a plot to leave Republic space by Force users that disagree with the policies of Anakin Solo as leader pro tempore of the Jedi Council. Their role will be the capture of a supply ship for the voyage (piracy). The heroes are smuggled onto the target vessel in experimental deep sleep pods. Three groups send four agents. The group callsigns for the mission are White Dwarf (Vaster), Red Moon (Fando and Mav), and Beta IV Station (a Sullustan).

The pod for the Beta IV Station agent failed and he was horribly burned, the other agents survive. Mav and Vaster have a reunion as they knew each other as children. The Sullustan’s stuff is looted and divvied up amongst the party (no equipment list created, just for plot purposes) the only item specifically mentioned was the Sullustan’s light saber.

Upon awakinging, the heroes do some basis reconnaissance through the airducts and get access to a computer terminal. A plan is concocted to fabricate an emergency that will force the passengers of the freighter to abandon ship. They begin the process of sneaking up to the bridge via the ducts when a force sensitive individual detects them crawling around (it is unknown to the PCs if they were detected previously by other means or if the force sensitive individual did it all on his own).

It is learned that the discoverer is a former Jedi student, now farmer on some fringe world, and the ship and its supplies are for that world. In addition to the freighter’s crew are also women and children travelling home from Corellia. The standoff goes rather poorly when the judicious use of the threat of explosives convinces the farmer to report to the bridge the situation. The use of a Force Illusion that seemingly trembles the ship finally forces everyone off. The ship is brought to a halt and as the crew and passengers leave via escape pods it is learned that the Republic was contacted and a light cruiser has arrived on the scene.

The heroes “dial home” to inform their masters that the ship is captured but there’s a complication… the light cruiser. Then stall for time as they’re informed that help is on the way. Just as the ship shields (boosted via rerouting power from life support, engines, and all other systems) are failing a Mon Calamari warship arrives and blows the light cruiser out of space. The adventure concludes with the party doing a hyperspace jump to rendesvous with the rest of the Exodus Fleet.

I have no idea who will one day find these recordings. I suppose it doesn’t really matter. I am Mavet Lavan or simply Mav. I find myself in space on a bulk freighter of some kind and with the high probability of not having to return to the Selonian Tunnels of Corellia where I have spent the majority of my life until now. I’m on this ship because I was told to steal it by my master for purposes I’m not quite sure I yet understand.

That the Jedi Council is corrupt is beyond question… that Anakin Solo is unfit to sit his chair is also clear. However, practicality dictates that those who lack power had best lay low, get power, or flee. I suspect that we are doing all three. But I can’t help but wonder… are we any different? Where’s the difference? Scale and scope?

As a user of the Force, am I not part of a long line of tradition dating back generations of abusing my power at the expense of the people who lack that power? The previous occupants of this freighter were, for the most part, peaceful. They were simply living their lives as best they can. For reasons beyond their control, Force users chose their ship to be stolen and so it was. Supplies and property taken and persons and families put at risk. Why? Because somebody… greater than they… decided that their particular problems were more significant. I’m sure Solo justifies all his actions by the same set of scales.

Perhaps our goals are more significant than a bunch of farmers on a backwater. I certainly hope so… after all, that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing… I was fully prepared and willing to cut down a farmer and former student of the Force as well as his son to accomplish my mission if need be… ultimately I didn’t have to… but all this still leaves a rather unpleasant taste in my mouth.

The Jedi are supposed to be better than this… or at least… that’s what I believed as a child when I heard the stories… but then again, maybe they were just impractical ideals told and retold as morality lessons. Do I agree with that morality play? Who’s play was it to begin with? I have my own reasons for participating in this Exodus. Master said that it was so that we could relearn what was forgotten about using the Force. Fine. But in the end, I don’t think The Force gives a flying Mynock’s left wing one way or another about what its users do with it.

So this Exodus is really about the accumulation of power. To what end? Displace Solo and his cronies? To what end? Establish another dynasty of Force users who are just as indifferent to what their power plays do to the little people all around them as the previous one? Seems so pointless. There’s got to be a better way.

A blog for your campaign

While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it’s not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!

The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!

Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.

One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick “Story So Far” with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.